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Environmental Requirements for FHWA Projects in Oregon

Environmental Requirements for FHWA Projects in Oregon. Teresa Brasfield Susan Haupt Oregon Department of Transportation. Overview. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Other Environmental Requirements. What is NEPA?.

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Environmental Requirements for FHWA Projects in Oregon

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  1. Environmental Requirements for FHWA Projects in Oregon Teresa Brasfield Susan Haupt Oregon Department of Transportation

  2. Overview • National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) • Other Environmental Requirements

  3. What is NEPA? • NEPA requires federal agencies to factor environmental considerations into their decision making. • NEPA includes full range of activities to evaluate the environmental impacts of a proposed action. • NEPA requires environmentally informed decisions. • NEPA is a procedural statute and does not dictate a decision or require elevation of environmental concerns over other pertinent considerations.

  4. Project Development System considerations, coordination, conformity, project need, Planning Need, alternatives and impact analysis, public / agency coordination, documentation (CE, EA/FONSI, EIS/ROD) NEPA NEPA Approval: Location, design concept acceptance Final Design Post NEPA Project Development Activities Right-of-Way Construction

  5. Endangered Species Act – Section 7 Civil Rights Act Executive Order 12898 (Environmental Justice) Section 4(f) of USDOT Act (49 USC 303) - Parks, recreation, etc Clean Air Act Safe Water Drinking Act Clean Water Act 404(b)(1) Farmland Protection Policy Act National Historic Preservation Act Floodplains FHWA NEPA Process “Umbrella” • Economic, Social, and Environmental Effects (23 USC 109(h)) analysis • Public involvement, interagency coordination • Tribal consultation • Location, design, and engineering • Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 • Noise Standards • Public Hearing Requirements • Americans with Disabilities Act

  6. NEPA “Documents” • Categorical Exclusion (CE) • Environmental Assessment (EA) • Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) • Notice of Intent (NOI) • Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) • Record of Decision (ROD)

  7. Categorical Exclusion • Actions which do not individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment • Actions that, based on past experience with similar actions, do not involve significant environmental impacts • Neither an EA nor EIS is required 40 CFR 1508.4 23 CFR 771.117(a)

  8. Environmental Assessment Document … … prepared for an action where the significance of the social, economic, and environmental impacts are not clearly established 23 CFR 771.115(c) 40 CFR 1508.9

  9. FONSI Finding Of No Significant Impact • A document which briefly presents why an action does not have a significant impact • It must include and reference the environmental assessment CEQ Q&A #37A 40 CFR 1508.13

  10. Environmental Impact Statement • Environmental impacts of the proposed action andalternatives • Unavoidable adverse environmental impacts

  11. Record of Decision • Decision - identify selected alternative • Alternatives considered • Discuss values considered and basis of decision • Identify “environmentally preferred” alternative(s) 40 CFR 1506.9 23 CFR 771.125(g)

  12. Proposed Action Coordination and Analysis YES NO Significant Impact ? Unknown Significant impact Documented CE Listed CE Environmental Assessment Notice of Intent & Scoping Process Draft EIS Coordination and analysis as needed No significant impacts Public Comment Document appropriately Final EIS Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) Record of Decision (ROD) Agency Action Agency Action Agency Action

  13. Elements of the NEPA Process • Public involvement throughout • Interagency coordination throughout • Purpose and Need • Alternatives analysis • Impact analysis • Mitigation • Documentation

  14. Purpose and Need • Critical foundation for decisions • Basis for reasonable alternatives, evaluations and comparisons • Reasons are established for moving forward with Federal action

  15. Purpose • Purpose is the “Problem Statement” • Transportation demand • Safety • Legislative direction • Economic development or planned growth • System linkage • Condition of existing facility 40 CFR 1502.13 TA Page 13

  16. Need • The “need” supports the problem statement • Facts demonstrating a "need" exists • History and background

  17. Alternatives Analysis • Varies with Class of Action • Rigorously explore and objectively evaluate in the EIS • Reasonable range alternatives / reasonable number • No-action / no-build always included

  18. Screening Alternatives - ODOT • Does it meet Purpose and Need? • Is it an acceptable solution? • Have environmental constraints been considered? • Does it require a state land use goal exception?

  19. Direct impacts … … caused by the action and occur at the same time and location Impacts Direct Environmental Impacts Project Action

  20. Indirect Impacts Indirect Environmental Impacts Project Action Other Actions 40 CFR 1508.8

  21. Cumulative Impacts Result from the incremental impact of the action when added to other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions … … regardless of what agency or person undertakes such other actions… … Federal, non-federal, public and private must be considered

  22. Significant Impacts Context Intensity + Significant Impact

  23. Federal Mitigation Policy • Avoid • Minimize/Preserve • Rectify, Repair, Rehabilitate, Restore • Compensate 40 CFR 1508.20

  24. Implementation Responsibility • Must implement mitigation commitments made in environmental documents • Ensure compliance through project management • Formal monitoring plan may be established (recommended where sensitive resources are impacted)

  25. Lead and Cooperating Agency Lead agency (Federal) … Sponsoring agency- Cooperating agency may be … Federal agencies with jurisdiction by law (mandatory) or special expertise (optional) … State and local agencies … Federally recognized Tribes 40 CFR 1508.5 & 1508.16

  26. Cooperating Agency Responsibility • Respond to lead agency’s request • Cooperate where jurisdiction by law • Attend scoping and coordination meetings • Provide meaningful and early input on issues of concern • Review and provide comments on Pre-draft and Pre-final environmental documents

  27. Other Requirements • Section 4(f) of the DOT Act (FHWA) (NPS) • Section 106 of the NHPA of 1965 (SHPO) • Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (USCOE) • Oregon Removal/Fill Law (ODSL) • ESA Section 7 consultation (NMFS, USFWS)

  28. Other Requirements • Noise (FHWA) • Title VI and EJ (FHWA) • Clean Air (DEQ, EPA) • Hazardous Materials (DEQ, EPA) • Visual Resources (FHWA)

  29. Section 303 in Title 49 AKA Section 4(f) of the DOT Act The Secretary may approve projects requiring use of publicly owned land of a public park, recreation area, or wildlife/waterfowl refuge, or land of a historic site of National, State, or local significance (as determined by the officials having jurisdiction over the park, recreation area, refuge or site) only if- • There is no feasible and prudent alternative to such use, and • The project includes all possible planning to minimize harm 23 CFR 771.135(a)(1)

  30. Section 106 of the NHPA • National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) • ACHP, SHPO, THPO, NPS • Avoid unnecessary harm to historic properties • Federal agencies consider effects of their actions on historic properties • Provide an opportunity for the ACHP and interested parties to comment • Relationship to 4(f) • 16 U.S.C. 470 • 36 CFR Part 800

  31. Section 404 of the CWA • Clean Water Act (CWA) • 33 U.S.C 1344 et seq. • Army Corp of Engineers 33 CFR Part 323 Implementing Regulations • EPA 404(b)(1) guidelines 40 CFR Part 230 • Army Corps of Engineers (administers the program), Environmental Protection Agency (veto authority), State / Regional Water Resources Control Boards or agencies • Elevation process (404(q)) • FHWA Wetland Regulations 23 CFR 777 • Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, Section 10 Permit

  32. Section 404 - Permit Permit application must show that you have: • taken steps to avoid impacts to waters of the US, including wetlands, where practicable • minimized potential impacts to waters of the US • provided compensation for any remaining, unavoidable impacts

  33. Oregon Removal/Fill Law • Oregon Department of State Lands administers • Division 141-085 • ORS 196.668 to 196.692 ORS 390.835 ORS 196.800 to 196.990 • Purpose: To define and establish rules and guidelines to regulate removal/fill activities in “waters of the state” of Oregon www.oregonstatelands.us

  34. Oregon Land Use Goals • (X-1) Oregon’s Statewide Planning Goals, OAR 660---(1985) • Sets the framework and standards/criteria for the statewide land use planning • Transportation Planning Rule, OAR 660-12-000 (Administered by DLCD) • (I-4) DOT Order 5610.1C, Attachment 2, pg 13, Land Use and Urban Growth---(Sept 1979)

  35. Oregon Land Use Goals • (II-1) FHWA Technical Advisory T6640.8A, pg 19, Land Use Impacts---(Oct 1987) • (II-1) FHWA Technical Advisory T6640.8A, pg 22, Joint Development---(Oct 1987) • (X-3) Farmland Protection Policy Act---(Dec 1981) • OAR 660-12 “Transportation Planning Rule”---(??? ????)

  36. Section 7 of the ESA • Endangered Species Act of 1973 • 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq. • 50 CFR 402 • Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI) and NOAA Fisheries • Handbook on-line http://endangered.FWS.gov/consultations/s7hndbk/toc-glos.pdf

  37. Section 7 - Consultation • FHWA / SDOT initiates consultation • F&WS provides information (list) on occurrence of threatened and endangered species in area • DOT survey for T&E species or critical habitat 50 CFR 402

  38. Section 7 - Consultation • Biological assessment (or evaluation) to allow FHWA’s determination of effect • “Not likely to adversely effect” – consultation complete • Adversely effect – formal consultation required • “No jeopardy” opinion required to advance project 50 CFR 402

  39. Air Quality • National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) are established for specific air pollutants • Oregon DEQ also specifies air quality standards that are equal to or more strict than the national standards • Seven air pollutants have standards established • Based on the specific pollutant, DEQ has designated specific non-attainment areas within the state of Oregon.

  40. Noise Consideration and abatement of highway traffic noise and construction noise 23 CFR 772 FHWA Noise Guidance June 1995 http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/polguid.pdf State Noise Policies

  41. Environmental Justice Fundamental concepts of EJ (Executive Order 12898) and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act • Ensure full and fair participation by all potentially affected communities in the decision-making process • Prevent denial of, reduction in, or significant delay in the receipt of benefits by minority and low-income populations • Avoid, minimize, and mitigate disproportionately high and adverse effects (human health, social, economic and environmental) on minority and low income populations.

  42. Hazardous Materials • CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980)---Superfund • RCRA (Resource Conservation Recovery Act) • 40 CFR 312, ORS 465.255 & FHWA Guidance (Site identification and cleanup liability) • OAR 340-150 & 340-160 to 163 (UST removal) • OAR 340-122 (Site cleanup requirements) • 40 CFR 255-279 (Waste disposal) • Federal Pesticide Control Act, 40 CFR 152-173 • OAR 340-248 (Asbestos survey & abatement)

  43. HazMat Assessment Resources • OTIA III Materials and Contamination Performance Standards Manual http://www.obdp.org/site/view_pdf/?pdf=/files/partner/environmental/MaterialsandContaminationManual.pdf • ODOT Hazardous Materials Program Guide ftp://ftp.odot.state.or.us/techserv/Geo-Environmental/ Environmental/Procedural%20Manuals/HazMat/HazMatProgram Proceduresl.doc • ODOT HazMat Report Templates ftp://ftp.odot.state.or.us/techserv/Geo-Environmental/ Environmental/Regulatory%20Documentation%20Forms%20and%20Examples/HazMat/

  44. Waste Management Resources DEQ approved waste re-use, recycling & disposal options for: • Asphalt (old and fresh) • Clean fill • Concrete (including concrete with lead-paint) • Paint (including lead-paint and striping) • Metal • Wood (including treated and painted wood) Summarized in OTIA III Materials & Contamination Performance Standards Manual

  45. Visual Resources • Wild and Scenic Rivers Act 43 CFR 8350 • (II-1) FHWA Technical Advisory T6640.8A, pg 34, Visual Impacts---(Oct 1987) • (XV-3) Landscape and Roadside Development, 23 CFR 752---(Sept 1987)

  46. Federal Environmental Requirements Affecting Transportation 70 EO13148 TEA-21 EO13186 EO13061 EO13112 60 EO13007 EO13089 SNRTA SDWA CAA EO12898 CZARA ISTEA STURAA ADA 50 URA NAGPRA EWRA STURAA HSWA CWA FPPA SDWA ANILCA CBRA 40 ARPA LAA CUMULATIVE NUMBER OF LAWS AND AMENDMENTS EO11990 CERCLA CWA EO11998 MSFCMA CAA SDWA RCRA 30 CZMA FNWA WBA ESA RRA CWA EAA URA CAA NEPA 20 FAHA WSRA 4(f) FAHA HBA FAHA CAA NHPA AHPA 10 FIFRA SWDA FWCA MBTA CRA AA WA RHAA LWCF CAA HSBAA 0 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 YEAR

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